The streets were still empty and the day was still way to early for me. No I was not joining some kind of Fun run but instead I was conducting a Doll making workshop. And drum beat please…it was at FULLY BOOKED, Fort. I have to say I was beyond excited! I couldn’t believe that I will be teaching doll making let alone in FULLY BOOKED.

Thanks to the lovely ladies and gents of Craft MNL who with Mommy Mundo made this day possible.

After swallowing all my stage fright I set the room up in a hurry to give myself time to grab coffee and a waffle from Star Bucks.

What made this class extra special was that it was a Mommy Maker day meaning it was a mommy and daughter class. Both the mom and daughter will get to make their own mommy and me dolls.

I had to redo my kits for this class to make sure that the dolls were manageable for the mommies to make while trying to help their daughters sew as well. Not using the 14 inches doll pattern I had to make a new pattern instead. A 10 inches and an 8 inches doll. Each mommy and me kit contained all the essentials which they can bring home in case they can only finish one doll in our 3 hour long session.

I made sure I was super organized for this class as it will be a big class and the daughters will require help so I had to make sure everyone had their supplies including the poly fiber on hand.

As the class started and the introductions began it was apparent that the kids where younger than expected and the moms were not exactly occasional sewers. But every one’s spirits were up and all were excited to learn. The result was a messy room filled with raisin bread crumbs, poly fiber on the floor, tangled yarn balls every where and happy faces.

All the little girls beamed with their new dolls in tow. It was a morning I would never forget.

Thank you to all the moms who spent their Sunday morning with me and being patient to learn a craft with their little ones. Thank you to Craft MNL and Mommy MUNDO.

Labor of Love and that’s how February is turning to be. Labor of love indeed as I struggled to finish 8 dolls for the LRI art Center fair and the kits for the Doll workshop at Fully booked.

Since i closed shop last Dec 23. I haven’t sewn or made any doll heads and it really was a struggle to get back in the stride of things. More so as I was getting distracted with doing the new marketing collateral for Dolldalita, making the new doll heads, plotting out work load for the weeks to come, teaming up with a talent to be the head master (doll head maker), getting excited with creating two new themed doll series, working on the name for the new dolls and opening my new stash of yummy yarns. Plus ordering a bit more!

Nonetheless I survived the week sleepless but dolled up. (sorry for the pun). Even found the time to share doll moments in instagram.

Working on some dainty DOLLDALITA signage

As I had this idea when the year started I had to make them. Actually this week was a good practice for the upcoming events this March and April. I got to figured out how to make the book series and even name them. Also I am officially onesies addicted as the dolls looked too cute with their onesies!

Meet the DOLLDALITA BEDTIME STORIES BUDDIES.

First dolls off the sewing table were MAX from where the wild things are and Peter Pan. Both of which got sold while being made. Thanks to instagram! It made my heart skip a beat that people loved them as much as I did. And I sometimes pinch myself as I can’t believe how adorable the dolls turned out!

MAX where the wild things are

Peter Pan

Madeline needs a hat

My favorite ALICE

Watch out for more BEDTIME STORY BUDDIES as I will be making more of these adorable Dolldalitas.

Special thanks to Alexandra Paredes for the image. It came from a stamp she designed which she allowed me to use as my branding. To my husband who gave his Saturday to design everything else. He understood my concept and found perfect peg for me. To my friends Nikki Abs and Mary Velmonte who after a chat in Facebook helped me with the name play.

Wow my schedule suddenly got filled! As I look at the calendar I’ll need to be busy sewing every weekend starting this Feb.

February will start start with an Art fair with my bestie Mary of Takatak Project. Who invited me to join her on Feb 16 in this LRI place in makati for an Art fair. From the sound of her voice she is really excited to join this event and need a booth mate. Am joining for my friend. Here’s the details

Feb. 16, from 10am to 7pm at Pavilion 1 &2 of LRI Design Plaza, 210 N. Garcia St, BelAir II, Makati. The theme for this upcoming bazaar is Made with Love: A Valentine’s Arts & Crafts Fair. at the building near alliance

By March 16, I’ll be at Art at the Park. I was invited by Resurrections found objects and furniture to join them in their booth. Art at the Park for me is the creme de creme of Art fair as it is a REAL ART FAIR. It is organized by the museum foundation and they invite galleries, art groups, and known or upcoming artist. It’s 90% arts and 10% crafts. I was at awe when I was there last year. I am still at awe and getting nervous about it. Details are below.

April will be the busiest as I will have two fairs. The first will be sometime mid April (no details yet) at my craft home 10a Alabama. It’s the annual art fair and I can’t wait to hang out with my craft friends 🙂 After which I’ll be at Sta. Elena for the Summer Fiesta Fair on April 28th.

If your wondering why I am not in full swing. Full swing i mean balancing my day job, time with carlo, sewing and running my doll shop. The answer is that I only started having my vacation the past 2 weeks. Right after New years when the nanny came back from her extended holiday. She got stranded down south due to the typhoons. Upon the nanny’s arrival i was already suffering from bronchitis that only got worst as the work days began.

This was me 5 pills in. I drank another 2 after this picture which I think was like the final straw my body could take

I was popping too many pills that on the day of the wedding, I drank about 7 different meds (all prescribe of course), that right after the after party I was rushed to the hospital. Thankfully I was already in the car heading back to the city when the attack happened. An hour into the ride back home I was already hallucinating flashing lights, the seven nations song by white stripes was continously playing in the background in my head. Also had severe tremors, my skin was all red and warm plus my heart was racing.

Basically it was a case of Over dose. Try visualizing grey’s anatomy slash hangover with matching I was in my brides maid’s gown fully made up. Since i was alone the driver had no choice but to hold hands with me as I was given a hemlock to flush out the meds thru fast flowing IV. I couldn’t remember anything inbetween.

When i came around the doctor was talking to my husband, apparently they did a blood test and they found no other drug substance. I think they were checking if I was telling the truth they must thought I was trippin’ on something else. I could distinctly remember the doctor asking my husband if all my medicines were prescribe. Of course they were but by different doctors.

Brief back ground, I have a bad back which we are doing therapy for and my Ortho. gives me meds to manage the pain. Then my bronchitis meds was given by a pulmo. The allergy meds by my brother in law. I was already taking the pain meds. double in dose for a week before I took the antibiotics. Then on the day of the wedding my husband that day gave me Solmux. Yes, looking back now it was insane.

It took me a couple of days to recover, I was literally asleep for more than a day. So after my very own version of hangover/greys anatomy my real vacation with the family begun. You have to remember during the holiday season I was sewing until Dec 23rd.

Vacation started in Tagaytay we tagged along with my sister who invited the little boy to sleep over with them.

Looking fresher and drug free

Then there’s the recent HongKong Trip with the entire family which was for the kids bday. This time due to work Husband was not able to come along.

Couldn’t resist not going to this exhibit.

Sensory overload day at DISNEYLAND

Oh and did I mention the kid’s (my son and my sister’s daughter are only 5 days apart) turned 3. We had a small – family only instant party in my sisters house.

Yes this is an instant party. Creep paper and white cartolina for background. Sister took care of all the food. That’s just hotdogs sandwiches.

Wow and it’s still only January no wonder my wallet seems to be thinning out and my energy falling close to zero again.

Had the very first doll workshop for 2013 last Jan 26th, Saturday at Craft MNL. It was organized by the lovely ladies of Craft MNL. The response to the workshop was a surprise as 8 ladies came to learn how to make a waldorf inspired doll. It always amaze me that they would give up their morning or afternoon to sit with me and sew.

Still visually tired from the recent out of country trip with my family I forge thru my ever energetic persona.

I didn’t have to worry long about energy as the students in the morning class were full with extra boost. Esp. the sister who bought taught at ISM (international school of Manila) who were always chatting away with everyone in class including me. I caught myself chatting away rather than teaching, so i would always check my watch and keep the pace going. Like what I always say in the beginning of each class.

” Get to know the person beside you as we will be sewing for hours and you’ll end up bonding with each other” and that is indeed what happened.

The chatty spirited sisters

She works in IT. And IT-Crafter “how cool is that”

She’s a banker! she was the quiet but had perfect sticthes

Dolls taking shape. Only need the eyes

It was meant to be for her husband as a boy doll which turned into looking like her. How cute

The rocker doll and raggidy anne

I love red heads!

One of my students who is a special education teacher got tired of almost 4 hours of sewing and opted to make a mo-hawk hair. This later turned into a rocker doll. Nikki, craft MNL, gave one of her scrap fabric and it ended being the vest and bandana for this hard rocker. The doll is so cute that I now have ideas of making a rock series dolls.

The ROCKER DOLL

Everyone went home happy even after 4 and 1/2 hours of sewing

Being so relaxed in Craft MNL workshop I was taken by surprised that a journalist from TV5 will be there to cover the events (there was also a book binding workshop facilitated by Nikki Abs on the second floor) and Daphne (a tv personality and local celebrity) dropped by the shop to snap some photos for her blog. I got horrified for the image of my sando, no make up, tied up hair that got posted in inquirer (a local newspaper) during my first workshop flashed in my mind. But since class was already in full swing I decided to just flash the biggest tired – sleepy smile I had and hope for the best.

Star Struck

The afternoon ladies were also an energetic bunch, esp. when one of them was a childhood playmate. Atty. Vanessa was my cousin’s best friend and since we always slept over during weekends in their house Vanessa became an instant friend . She brought her friend along who was 5weeks pregnant. It was great to be in their company who were as equally chatty.

Atty. Vanessa and her expecting friend

Done for the day! hooray!

Another fun day with the ladies, this surely bets sewing alone in my sewing closet. I am looking forward to the doll making workshop with Mommy Mundo and Craft MNL at Fully booked on Feb. 17 (more details to come thru Craft MNL and Mommy Mundo). I am now getting nervous with all my lined up activities (which all seem to be falling into today) and I haven’t literally started on anything! Not even sourcing materials. All I’ve done so far is spring cleaning not only the workshop but the entire house. And thanks to the earnings from the doll workshop I got to buy myself a red hot comfy chair and a ball pool for the little boy to swim in while mom sews.

Happy Baby with his pool of balls..Now maybe mom can sew without someone wanting more attention

After seeing the 5th yr ad for the upcoming earth hour it made me think of what I will do if people will do something for the earth hour. I want to challenge myself. Why? its because i join this every year, i turn off my lights, go to the event that supports it, get goosebumps by the support it gets locally then its over. After an hour i really haven’t done much. So i want to commit to something more to make others do the same.

Imhandmade came to life because of my believe for sustainable toys for kids that has low carbon footprint. Hence why this challenge seems to hit me where it counts.

I will __________ if_______________. I will ponder on this for a today and announce what Imhandmade will do!

But so far here’s the latest video from Earth Hour. I love that’s something more exciting and really gets you the feeling of let’s get going!

After 2012 and all the love i got from everyone who bought the dolls I have decided to only make Waldorf Inspired dolls this year. Yup it’s all dolls dolls dolls. After much thought I am now using my day job skills into my craft business. Doing my business plan, my production plan and blocking out my sell off months.

Hopefully my next post will be on sourcing and production updates.

I do hope everyone would give my dolls as much love as they did last year. I promise this year they will be awesome as I have listed the collections I will be making. Aside from the basic dolls I will have collections made inspired from books. And the following are Alice in wonderland, Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, Where the wild things are, to name a few.

I’ll also have Mermaids, star baby (dolls for infants), and a boy doll! Sounds exciting? Not to mention my Husband will be helping me re-brand the dolls and packaging. Am so excited! Even more after I plotted out my production plan. At least I won’t be too stressed while sewing.

Catch the grand launching of the new image of Imhandmade and the 1st collections to come out of the sewing room. I will be posting them soon enough ( I hope)